Shattered little flower
by ForgottenDreamer death's angel
Summary: He thought it was only a childish crush, but what happens when a mistake causes everything to change?What happens when she won’t even look at him? Can he win her back?Or will the past of a broken heart and shattered world keep everything apart?
1. Torn apart?

_Summary: He thought it was only a childish crush, but what happens when a mistake causes everything to change?What happens when she won't even look at him? Can he win her back?Or will the past of a broken heart and shattered world keep everything apart?  
What happens when someone else wants to be apart of her life? Can Sasuke keep her? Or will he lose? _

_Chapter One: Torn apart? Not at all._

He had left, he took everything from her... and left with only these words.  
"_Thank you_."  
What did that mean anyway? Thank you for what?  
The petal haired women sat up out of her bed and looked at herself in the mirror.

She had changed since that day five years ago...

Her hair was long again, for it hung to her waist, but she had moved her bangs, some hung in her face hiding half of it, and her once wide bright eyes were now narrowed and darker.  
Her skin was pale, but not too pale. It was an ivory that stood out.  
She looked over her shoulder at the black tattoo emended into her skin.

_**ANBU**_

That's what she was now, Hokage Apprentice, Head medic nin, and leader of the ANBU and now she was following in Tsunade's footsteps... she was on her way to the top of the ranks.  
She had accomplished a lot in life, trying hard to prove herself to everyone.  
She stood up and got out of the bed.  
Reaching into her closet she pulled out an ANBU uniform and put it on, letting her fox mask hang around her neck, and then sliding her gloves on.

After that she pulled her hair into a tight bun, held by two chopsticks with two bells on one stick and put a cloth over her bunned hair... to hide the bright color.  
After that she took her Konoha head band and tied it over her forehead taking one last look at herself she turned away.  
She let a sigh escape as she jumped out her window and vanished only to appear outside in the market place.She let her eyes scan the stores before walking into one.  
The flower shop.

As she walked in she saw her childhood friend Ino and her husband Shikamaru.  
Ino perked and ran to the counter smiling. "Sakura! Hi there! How are you?" she asked happily.  
A small forced smile came to Sakura's face. "Just fine Ino. Just stopping by to say hi." she said emotionlessly.  
Ino frowned.  
She could tell Sakura was trying hard to be friendly, forcing a smile and even trying to sound cheerful.

But... the sakura Ino had loved as a best friend died after Sasuke left.  
Sadness came to Ino then... she had watched Sakura break off from everyone slowly, her smiles stop and her laughter empty.She watched how Sakura improved, watched her best friend grow...Into an emotionless ANBU.. But even worse she was the commander.  
"That's good, Oh! Sakura... I want to give you something!" she said disappearing into the back.

Sakura raised a brow when Ino returned with a smile on her face.  
"Yes?" she said calmly. Ino frowned but then reached up, placing something on the small chain like threads that held the bells on her chopsticks.  
When Ino was done Sakura looked in a mirror.  
Sakura blossoms had been attached to the chain on the chopsticks and in her hair lightly.She looked pretty.

"Thank you Ino." she said with a smile before disappearing instantly. Ino sighed sitting down next to her lazy husband. "I miss the old Sakura..." she whispered.

Sakura reappeared on a high rooftop of Konoha, her eyes staring out into the forest floor of the surrounding woods.  
_'I'm like this... this is my life... because of him...'_ she thought bitterly as she took off in one direction, and jumped to land in a circle of Anbu.

She pulled up her mask and nodded.

Hyuuga Neji, with his wolf mask on, walked up to her and bowed slightly.

"The mission today is as usual scout the forest for signs of any possible threat." Sakura called out, her voice ringing in the ears of the Anbu.  
"We'll be splitting into teams of two again. Naruto, your with Kiba today." she called pointing to the boy with the dog mask on his shoulder. Naruto sighed, pulling on his red fox mask and taking off in a flash with Kiba. "Chouji, I want you with Lee today. And Hyuuga... your with me. Everyone else you know your teams! MOVE OUT!"

With that all the anbu vanished in a flash running in separate directions at top speed.  
Neji and Sakura darted through the forest, jumping from branch to branch or switching to the ground and jumping over the roots, darting in-between trees and occasionally jumping off the sides of them.

After three hours of searching their part of the forest. Sakura and Neji both stopped, panting and sweating. They sat down by the nearest river and cooled off. Neji watched sakura take off her mask only long enough to splash her face with the freezing water. "Another uneventful patrol.." she whispered as she slipped her mask back on. Neji took a good look at her. Her hair was pulled back to where you couldn't see the pink, her canvas vest made it impossible to see her chest and tell if she was male or female.

Her mask was black and red, a deadlier color than the other masks except for his.  
His was a black mask with blue marks. They were the two most powerful ninja in the village hidden in the leaves.  
Actually... Neji had taken Sakura on about three or four dates and found they had more in common then most would think...

They were close...

Sakura packed the things up they had pulled out like cantines and motioned for them to continue. After that they were moving at top speed again, the wind smashing against them and their chakra pushing them faster. But... what they didn't know was that a surprise was waiting for them.

A lean dark figure moved along the ground, his black hair was pushed out of his face by the impacting wind. His pale tanned features showed a handsome man, strong... but emotions were hidden in his eyes. His dark onyx eyes, that were searching for Anbu of the village he used to call '_home_'. He almost chuckled at the thought. Home... something he turned his back on so easily. Something he left behind withought a second thought... and the people he left...

His black clothing made him stand out against the bright background of the Konohagure forests.But he moved fast determined to make it.  
He had realized what Orochimaru's true intentions with him were and he realized his mistake. Taking his chances and all he had learned from private lessons with Orochimaru he fled in the night to make quick progress '_home_'.

On his way home thoughts of people he knew had flooded back to him.  
The annoying loud blonde haired girl, and the lazy no good smart boy... had they ever gotten together? The shy girl in the corner of the room with white eyes... has she learned to talk yet?  
The annoying taijutsu expert who wanted to prove himself... the bushy brow... has he gotten a date yet? The White eyed prodigy... has he opened up to anyone?  
The number one hyper active, loud mouthed, knuckle headed ninja... Naruto.  
And then... a certain petal haired girl...  
"Sakura.."

Her name escaped him before he could stop himself... how much had she changed?  
He expected she still looked the same and was still waiting for her precious 'Sasuke-kun'.  
A smirk played at his lips as he could already envision it... him walking through the Konoha gates and her waiting there with tears in her eyes.  
'_Oh Sasuke-kun! You finally back!_' he could almost already hear her say.  
But his thoughts were cut short as he suddenly stopped, when a kunai barely missed his head.

He turned his gaze to see two ANBU standing there, one with a black and red mask the other with a black and blue one.  
He was going to shrug them off and continue on his journey when the fox masked one jumped at him and punched at his head.  
He easily ducked, but watched as the tree behind him exploded from the impact of the blow. After that more attacks were thrown at him and then the second ANBU member came into action.

He jumped back and threw kunai and shuriken at the Anbu, the wolf masked one jumped aside, but the other took out the same about of weapons and deflected each one. Quick eyes, and quicker reflexes.

He activated his Sharigan expecting a more 'fair' fight now, but a loud whistle rang throughout the forest echoing. The fox masked one had sent out a message. Then three or four more ANBU came into view and surrounded him.

"UCHIHA SASUKE!" a loud voice called.

The dark haired man now revealed as Sasuke almost fell when he recognized that voice. How could **_HE_** ever make it to the rank of ANBU!?

"Naruto.." he said calmly, when a white and red fox mask was pulled back to show none other than Naruto Uzumaki, his spiked blonde hair clinging to his face slightly, drenched from sweat.

"Where ya been _teme_?" he said a grin on his face, hissing out the last word.

"None of your business dobe."

"So.. This is the Uchiha." another familiar voice called, amusment clear in teh emotionless voice. The black and blue wolf mask was drawn back and moon white eyes met dark onyx.

"Hyuuga Neji."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"STOP WITH THE GREETINGS!" Naruto cut in obviously annoyed. He never liked it when greetings, especially with jerks, lasted forever.  
A whistle echoed slightly, not as loud as the last, but loud enough to go over Naruto's loud voice.  
All anbu turned to the black fox Anbu, as the anbu made his/ her way to the center of the now formed circle made by the Anbu. As the leader passed Sasuke noticed how the Anbu flinched, as their leader walked in front of them. Their leader must be powerful...

Sasuke braced himself for it to be Kakashi or someone but wasn't prepared for the slap that collided with his cheek.

Force was behind it and he was thrown to the ground, his face smearing across the soil.

"Uchiha Sasuke, tratior and deserter of Konoha the village hidden in the leaves. You are wanted by the Hokage Tsunade and by the entire village. Come peacefully and we will not be forced to harm you." said a muffled voice. He couldn't make it out...

Sasuke looked at this one for a while, studying everything and then noticing the Sakura blossoms hanging from their chopsticks.

"Sakura..." her name came again at the sight of the blossoms. What was he thinking!? Saying some girls name when he was getting his ass beaten by ANBU!?

"How'd you guess?" came the voice again.

Sasuke's jaw dropped when the Anbu reached up and pulled off their mask, revealing none other than Haruno Sakura staring at him with deep emerald eyes.

"Sakura..."

"Sasuke." she came back her eyes still a glare. Her voice held no tone, no emotion.

His entire scene of his return shattered in his mind, looking at Sakura carefully...

She was ANBU leader?

Her partner Hyuuga Neji walked up beside her and motioned for the ANBU to move in closer.

But one glare from Sakura kept them all in place.

"Come peacefully Uchiha." her voice was harsh and cold. Nothing like the girl he had known so well five years ago.

"No." he answered, but before he could even crouch into a fighting stance, he found himself pinned to the ground, face flat in the ground, arm pulled behind his back, and kunai at his neck. The cold of the steel slightly cutting into his flesh, a hot sensation of pain with the icy cold sting of the blade.

"Then, I am authorized to use force.." she hissed in his ear. She knew the law of Anbu and knew how to hurt someone to get information or just for the bliss of their torture.

She pulled more on his arm, till he heard a pop and felt like she was tearing it off. She was pushing chakra into his body, using her skills to rip apart his muscle tissue.

"Let go.." he hissed emotionlessly, although inside of his skull thoughts were buzzing like crazy, refusing to leave him alone.

What happened to Sakura?

What happened to all the smiles? All the _Sasuke-kun's_?

What happened to the girl who loved him so much and would never lift a finger against him?

She pulled out several needle like weapons and forced them into various areas of his back. Feeling it puncture something else in his body probably bone, and feeling the pain of the invasion of his skin.

Sasuke's eyes widened at the sudden surge of pain and then the loss of pressure on his back.

Sakura had gotten off.

Sasuke tried to move, to jump up and attack but his body wouldn't respond.

"That needles paralyzed you. They have chakra strings at the tips and are in your chakra coils system and then the chakra on the needles are supposed to explode and destroy all tissue in the area it is placed, so basically I busted your ability to move. When we're close to the village the idiots will take the needles out and you should be capable of movement again. Uzumaki, Inuzuka! Take Uchiha here back to the village! Everyone else, finish up your rounds and meet back in two hours. DISMISSED!"

At the sound of her voice all of the ANBU flinched, but obeyed. Such a cold, and deadly voice... that even the blood thirsty backed away...

Many disappeared in a blur except for Naruto, Kiba, Neji and Sakura.  
Who all remained staring at the tratior of Konoha.

Sakura kneeled next to him with a wicked smile on her face. "When you return, don't expect warm welcomes... and you will be sent to the Hokage immediately for punishment. So, have a nice day Uchiha." the last word escaped with such, spite and venom, that Sasuke was taken aback.

She despised his name. From the venom and hatred... she cursed his name.. cursed his very being.. and hated his existance...

She stood up and looked down at Sasuke with a blank look... the same one he had always given her... and then he watched her lips move and the words escape. "You're so annoying." she whispered before reaching up to place the mask back over her face, and turn to walk away. The crunch of leaves beneath her feet echoed in his mind, every sound seeming to scrape away a piece of him.

Naruto shivered. "Damn... she's pissed." he said as he picked up Sasuke and flung him over his shoulder.

"I haven't seen her this mad since the meeting where you brought up Sasuke's name.." Kiba said picking up their packs and starting to walk.

"Oh yea! And then after that she wouldn't stop training for a week... oh, remember when she wore the head band over her eyes for a month? She was really strong! She said that now she can see chakra aura from that..." Naruto said following.

"Oh yeah! She looked kinda funny going everywhere with that over her eyes though..." Kiba said chuckling.

Sasuke listened to them and felt his eyes start to blur. "What... happened to Sakura?" he managed to ask. The question was bothering him.. and he was never one to want to be confused.. so he was getting his answer as soon as possible.

Naruto stopped for a minute. His ocean blue eyes glazing for a moment before a bitter chuckle escaped him. "You did." he answered.

"Me?"

"Because when you left she told me she felt weak and powerless and that she was always left behind. So after that, she became the Hokage's apprentice, the head medic ninja and then... Anbu captain.." Naruto's voice was so small... almost gone when he said the word Anbu. No one had ever thought she had it in her to be such a blood thirsty, vicious killer... but they were wrong.

"Yea... but the good part is now she actually accepts dates!" Kiba said laughing.

"That's true, I've taken her out at least eight times now... oh! And on our last date I got her to laugh!" Naruto said a smile on his face.

"No way! Stone cold Sakura? Laugh? WOW! How'd you do that?"  
The two chatted like fanboys... like how Sasuke used to hear girls always talk about him... admiration in their voices but also the distinct dissatisfaction of knowing who they loved was so cold.  
As the two seemed to ramble on, Sasuke felt something inside him seem to crack... and shatter.

The girl... who had loved him...  
Who had told him, 'I love you with all my heart' and was the only one to ever beg for him to stay, the only one to ever cry for him...

That girl who he had tried to love... was dead.


	2. Crimson Blossom

Chapter Two : The Crimson Sakura

Sasuke had been drug to the Hokage's office being thrown to the floor, as they entered.

"OI!! Tsunade!!!" Sakura called walking over and turning the Hokage's chair to show a very drunk Tsunade. Tsunade smiled greatly when she saw Sakura and chuckled.

"Sakura hic back so soon? Oh I see you brought the tratior." She said hiccuping. And seeming not to notice anything really out of the ordinary.

Sakura hung her head and sweatdropped. "Drinking again?" she asked snatching the sake bottle in Tsunade's hand. And holding it above the woman's head, swinging it in the light to see how much was left.

"That's mine!! Gimme!!" Tsunade whined reaching for it. Pouting as she barely touched it before it was taken away again.

Sakura barely laughed. "Mine now!" she said and chugged it. "NNNOOOO!!! MY SAKE!!!" Tsunade screamed to the heavens. Sakura smiled and patted the woman's head.

"I'll buy ya more later. But first deal punishment to this bastard." Sakura said pointing at Sasuke.

'_Bastard? Since when did his Sakura cuss?_' He thought looking at his cherry blossom from behind, her stance showed weariness, exhaustion, and well toned muscle holding her up.

"Fine he has to live with you." Tsunade said eyeing the empty bottle and looking inside.

"EVERY LAST DROP!!! WWWWWHHHHYYYYYY!!!????" She called to Sakura.

Sakura smirked. "Really? How is that a punishment Tsunade okaa-san?" she asked cocking her head to the side almost innocently, but that smirk displayed a hint of evil.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!! I feel old!!" she said smacking Naruto over the head.

'OI!!! Why hit me!!?" He screamed holding his now swollen head.

"Because! I would never hurt Sakura!" Tsunade said getting the girl in a headlock.

"Now back to that earlier question. Sakura, he will live with you since I sold the Uchiha district and YOU sakura can make his life hell for as long as he is there!" Tsunade said attempting to poke Sakura's nose.

"And how long would that be?" Sakura asked raising her hands to defend her nose.

"Two years." Tsunade said finally poking her. "HAHA! VICTORY!!!"

"I demand a rematch." Sakura called her voice emotionless but holding even barely a hint of who she used to be. She reached over and poked tsunade in the stomach and forced a wide grin. . "I WIN!!!" she called happily. Or as happily as her emotionless barriers would allow.

This was the only time Sakura would smile. This was the only time Sakura would laugh.

And everyone knew it.

You could meet her on the street and start telling her the most funniest things in the world... but she would only stare at you... with emotionless jade eyes...

The jade eyes that were the last thing so many had seen before their deaths crashed upon them.

Sakura... was sakura... only when she was with her 'okaa-san'.

"OKAY!! Punishment dealt! Now someone gimme sake!!!"

Sakura smiled but then turned her eyes to the Uchiha boy, she reached down and grasped his shirt pulling him from the floor. "Come."

Before he knew it he was dragged to a house. Sakura's. It was a normal sized home, appearently one story, a small balcony by the window, crimson curtains hanging over the window so he couldn't see anything from the outside. The house itself was painted white... innocent... sure.

She kicked open the door and tossed him in. "This is your new home get used to it."

She slammed the door and walked through the living room into what he suspected was the kitchen. The living room was normal... red carpet, a black couch, and a glass coffee table all neatly arranged.

Sasuke looked around. He had seen her room before he had left five years ago... back then she had bright yellow walls, a bright white bed, and pictures all throughout her room. Her room used to be a place of future hopes and dreams. His eyes fell on a picture frame turned down. He slowly lifted it. Team seven. A picture of a smirking Sasuke, a grinning Naruto and a shy Sakura looking over at Sasuke. The glass was shattered, and crimson stains fell on the photo."What is your problem Sakura?" He found himself asking.

A growl came from behind him, and he turned to see Sakura, her fists clenched and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

'_After all this... your still annoying._' he had told her once... Now those words echoed through her mind, growing stronger and stronger not leaving... continuing... over and over. She growled, she wanted to make it stop...

She pulled back a fist and slammed it into his cheek. The sudden action startling him and confusing him. He couldn't react quick enough to stop himself from flying into her wall, but he stood quickly enough to see an almost frightening smirk on Sakura's face, one that promised death and hid pain.

"Let's count all the insults Uchiha." she spat, her voice seemed to hold an evil tone as she talked. "Your still _annoying_. Stop flirting. Give up. You don't _deserve_ to be ninja. Go away. Go home. Your _weaker_ then us. Holding us back. Your _weak_. YOUR _PATHETIC_!! Now's my chance to rub your smug ass face in the dirt you bastard." she said her smirk suddenly vanished. Only one word could possibly describe all the venom lacing her words, and all the hatred that tugged her lips back into that malice soaked grin... evil..

She pulled back her fist revealing several scars and fresh wounds. "I could kill you... but I'll just make your life hell." she said her voice harsh and cracking with the threat of rising emotion. She turned and left the soft click of her shoes the only sound that surrounded him in the silence.

Sasuke just shrugged off her words, pretending like she stood no threat to him. Just like she hadn't before he left.. "What happened to you?" he questioned emotionlessly. He was trying to prove to her that she could never be as cold as an Uchiha... but she was beating him. And he didn't like it.  
A dog barking outside caught his attention and he turned to look out the window, surprised to see it so dark he looked up at the sky. The stars were shining bright and the moon was full. The dim light gave the room an eerie glow.

Sasuke heard Sakura sighing as she entered the room, he turned to see her, seeming to attempt to calm herself and planting herself on her windowsill. "Go to bed. We've got a mission in the morning." She said taking a sip of the hot coffee. He watched as she winced, the liquid burned her lips. But then remembering how 'well' Sakura used to do on their missions as team seven he assumed it was catching a cat or something. He almost laughed.

"Like what?" Sasuke asked chuckling. The Sakura he knew couldn't do anything. Just like the Sakura he knew could never kill, or hurt anyone, or pose a threat. (Boy is HE in for a surprise!!)

"I've an assassination mission. A leaf nin. Profile unknown, age 32, specialty Taijutsu, special jutsu: Fire blossom jutsu, status: Rank A. He's stolen some secrets and has been camping outside around Konoha. I've been assigned to eliminate him." she said plainly, shrugging her shoulders and continuing to stare outside, as if the stars had put her into a trance.

Sasuke looked at her dumbfounded. She would kill someone? _His_ sakura? He shook his head, choosing not to believe it until he sees it. He knew Sakura... she could never kill anyone, she could hardly handle hurting someone without feeling bad about it.

Sakura met his gaze, both gazes were cold, but her's held something he hadn't seen in someone other than Orochimaru, a joy to spill blood... A small smile spread across her lips as she walked over to him and gently set her hands on the back of his neck. "Sleep." and he was out.

That night he dreamed..._ he saw a smiling girl with long cherry blossom hair. Her eyes were wide and filled with hope, as her lips moved as if to ask a question. But her words never reached him... although he strained and tried to hear. The hope slowly died from the girl's eyes as she turned her back to him, her hair suddenly short, and a look of hate in her eyes. He blinked and the girl was gone. Sakura stood there instead, her back to him, her long hair out and flowing, but she was covered in blood, not her own. Hate filled green eyes slowly turned to him and a small smile made it's way to the pale face soaked in blood. "It's your fault..." the words echoed and swirled around him as laughter soon followed. _

**_He knew it was his fault... and he wamted to fix it... but the thing that disturbed him... was that Sakura enjoyed the new her... and he knew it. _**

Daylight filtered through drawn black curtains, and he groaned in protest of moving. But the unrelenting sunlight made him sit up. He groggily rubbed one of his eyes with his fist while the other looked at what he slept on. He was on the couch, a deep crimson cover over him and a red pillow sat where his head was lying. He was fully awake when a small noise caught his attention, he looked up just in time to see a fist fly at him before he was thrown off the couch.

"Oi, your awake." Sakura said standing over him with a bored expression as she flexed her hand.

"YOU JUST SUCKER PUNCHED ME!!!" he screamed at her, pointing an accusing finger at her. Sakura shrugged giving an almost innocent look. "No, I punched a sucker... There's a difference." she said holding out a hand for him. He looked at her suspiciously, before taking her hand and her helping him to his feet. "I have a mission in an hour, freshen up.. Your coming with me."

"Why me?"

"Because I'm beating the hell out of you after the mission." she said shrugging, almost as if joking. She turned and began to walk to the kitchen but his question caught her attention.

"How did you become ANBU?" Sasuke asked curious, raising a brow at her. Girl's were hardly accepted into ANBU, they had to be pretty damn tough, and smart. He knew Sakura was smart but the tough part he was still having a little trouble grasping.

"What, don't believe I did it on hard work alone? Because I'm a girl?" she asked her eyes hard.

Sasuke stared her down and she shrugged giving in. "I killed the previous leader." Sakura said looking at him with deadly eyes, now deep emerald with glittering jade... malice seemed to be illuminating her eyes. An almost anxious look, deep in her eyes showed readiness for a kill. Sasuke was a little shocked to find that look in her eyes, let alone the fact that she seemed anxious for it. He shrugged it off and turned to take his shower before she killed him.

As soon as he was done and dressed they left immidetly.They walked in silence down the crowded streets of Konoha, a fog hanging thick on the ground, showing early morning. Sakura's eyes caught every movement of it, how it rolled on the ground and twirled around her feet and moved in the air...

Sasuke watched Sakura's back as she walked. Her hair once again bunned, from behind he almost couldn't recognize her. She was so different... A sudden thought hit him... Isn't this where she used to be? Always behind them... always watching THEIR backs? Always trying to be seen by those who would never look back... Is that what she meant when she said she was always left behind?

He saw Sakura turn around slightly, allowing him to catch a glance at her eyes.  
So much colder... so much more lifeless... so... lost.

She turned and looked at him, her eyes a glare, to make sure he was following.

"Sakura... who was the last ANBU captain?" Sasuke asked almost hesitating. He almost didn't want to know. But he knew that if he wanted things back to how they were he needed to know... he needed to know what Sakura has done, and has gone through since his abscence.

Sakura's eyes widened for just the slightest moment, before she turned away from him. A dark chuckle coming from her throat, covering some form of pain.

It had been so long since she had to say this...

"Kakashi."

"And they made you captain because you killed him!?" He had never known the ANBU to be that brutal... or to trust someone who had killed one of their own. Were they truly that vicious?

"He challenged me to the fight... it's not my fault that he chose the wrong one to fight" she said calmly shrugging and continuing to walk.

Sasuke could only stare at Sakura the rest of the way to...wait... where were they going?

He blinked and brought in his surroundings, almost startled to see this place again...They were in Konoha forest of Death. This was the place he had met the man who turned everyone's lives upside down... especially Sakura's... this is were he was bit...

A shrill whistle came from the trees, almost startling the Uchiha, and Sakura reached up a hand, to make her sound louder, she whistled loudly, mocking the sound of a bird.

Three ANBU appeared in front of her, all three kneeling to show respect.

"Sakura." one spoke standing and removing his black and blue wolf mask.

Sakura cocked her head to the side and pulled him up to stand beside her. "Neji."  
"Oi, Sakura-chan!!" the other called pulling off his white and red fox mask.  
Sakura nodded reaching down and ruffling his hair. "Naruto"  
"What's up Sakura?" the other boy called, peeling off his dog mask, which once again he had put on too tight. Sakura could only sigh, she told him to loosen that thing up.

"Kiba. Nothing much. Assassination mission as usual. A tratior, stole some secrets and ran off with them. Male, average build, ranking Jounin, specialty is taijutsu. Spread out and eliminate the target at all costs, usual teams, Naruto and Kiba, Neji and Me. Move out." Sakura said grabbing Neji's hand and jumping into the trees, Sasuke on their tails. He just knew if he didn't follow Sakura would kick his ass... and boy was he right.

Sasuke had no problem keeping up with them, although he chose to stay behind just a little. "Haruno." Neji's voice was barely heard.

"Hai?" Sakura said turning her masked face to the Hyuuga.

"Are you still coming over to train even though you have Uchiha on your hands now?" he asked, his mask looking at her's.

"Of course Neji. Just because I'm stuck babysitting doesn't mean I'm going to miss training. Seven as always." she said and Sasuke could swear... he heard a light giggle.

Neji nodded, and turned his head back to the Uchiha and Sasuke could swear he felt a glare...

Sakura and Neji suddenly dropped from the trees, falling onto the earth below with barely a thud, and Sasuke, was dragged down by a strange force.. "Huh!?" he screamed as he was jerked hard onto the ground below. As if pulled by a thread. "Chakra thread... so you can't escape.." Sakura said plainly as she moved behind a tree, Neji following. Sauske looked down at his chest, seeing a small strand of... green chakra... connecting his chest to her finger.

Sasuke was forced behind a different tree, his chest pressed against it and he knew they were hiding for a surprise attack but he didn't even bother to look at the 'enemy', he was too busy looking at the two ANBU partners.

Sakura was flush against the tree, her masked face barely poking around the side, and Neji was pressed against her, his arms on either side of her, and his head also peeking around the tree... it was a form of protection Sasuke knew, but it made his blood boil... that someone was so close to Sakura.

Sakura turned to Neji, nodding her head and both running from behind the tree, Neji going ahead and blocking the path of the man in front. Neji assumed the Hyuuga style and quickly attacked. "Eight trigrams, two palms... four palms... eight palms... sixteen palms... thirty two palms... sixy four palms!" he said as he struck each attack. Soon the man was scared stiff attempting to get out an attack but his chakra failing him.

Sakura followed at a slower pace, since she was also dragging the Uchiha with a thin string of Chakra. Sakura ran to Neji grasping his hand, and flipping over him to strike the man in the head. The man fell quick and Sakura and Neji acted fast, pulling chakra into their fists and releasing it into the man's body as he fell. The man's eyes went wide and blood burst from his mouth as he fell lifeless to the ground.  
"That was quicker than I expected.." she said running a hand through her petal pink hair. A sigh escaping her. They had destroyed all of his internal organs, the heart first, then lungs, and the chakra should have destroyed everything else within him.

"Yes... but now, we'll round up Naruto and Kiba and have them dispose of the remains before any other ninja come along and steal what secrets this man hides..." Neji said removing his own mask, and raising a hand to his lips he let out a shrill whistle, that rang loud and carried far.

Naruto and Kiba instantly appeared with a poof, and instantly started on their job, of dispose of the body, Naruto taking out his kunai and cutting off the tratior's head, before Kiba started a fire, successfully burning the body.

Sakura removed her own mask and sighed, before looking over at Neji and giving a small smile. "Good job Hyuuga." she said playfully hitting his shoulder. Neji smirked, "Of course." he said with a cocky tone. Sakura smiled. "I'll wipe that smirk off your face during training." she said pointing a finger at him. Neji chuckled. "We'll see Sakura."  
"Oh we will."

Sasuke watched them talk, they were... friendly? Sudden realization and anger hit him in a blinding flash. If Hyuuga was the only one she was close to... then... they were a couple!? There was no way Sasuke was going to let this keep going. He was going to get Sakura back!


	3. Understanding the pain

Insanity... was one word that popped into Sasuke Uchiha's mind when he saw Sakura Haruno return from her training with Neji.

Her hair was ruffled and her clothes were filthy, she was covered in sweat and blood decorated her thin form nicely. She looked almost like an angel of death walking through the door.

Sasuke raised a brow at her, and waited for her response after all... he was in no hurry to hear how much '_fun'_ she had, had being the Hyuuga's training dummy.

Sakura plopped on the floor by Sasuke's feet and he raised his other brow, showing a hint of shock before his beautiful brows set back into place and he reached a hand out to touch Sakura's shoulder.

She was swaying, her head bobbing from one side to the other, while her body seemed to struggle just to keep her sitting upright.

"Rough night?" he asked, grabbing her chin to make her wake up from her part way unconsciousness. Sakura's dazed eyes looked at him, startled, before she merely nodded.

"He's getting stronger..." she whispered, looking at the bruises now decorating her arms.

But she slowly smiled, an intoxicated smile that a drunk person wore while they tumbled home, as she slowly leaned back to recline against his leg. "But he's still too slow." she whispered, adding a small chuckle that seemed caught in her throat.

Sasuke raised a brow at this side of Sakura. Is this what she was like when she was falling asleep?

He shrugged the thought off and looked at the blood that seeped through wounds and the now large bruises that were steadily turning black, blue and a dark shade of purple.

He wrinkled his nose in disapproval, and thought of ways he could easily tear the Hyuuga apart.

After all he was an Uchiha... and Uchiha's were... territorial.

He watched Sakura's eyes slowly close, and open as she seemed to fight sleep, but her body was clearly exhausted. Even her senses were apparently down, for she barely seemed to register who she was leaning against, and whose leg her head lolled back on.

Sasuke watched her, a small hint of amusement flickering in his smoldering onyx eyes.

Sakura, the great ANBU leader, was as intoxicated as a drunk man, and she seemed to start rambling about nothing as sleep began to take her. It was very awkward to say the least.

Then he caught a small shimmer over a healing wound, and barely reached out to touch it. Sticky.

Of course.

Hyuuga wouldn't let her leave without medication to numb out pain, and he probably slipped in something to make her sleep.

Sasuke sighed as Sakura's eyes met his. The medicine was seriously taking affect, because she didn't seem to register what was dream and what was reality. The thin line between the two was a blur to her, for she laughed randomly and mumbled slurs of words that never caught his ears.

Sasuke had come back for this woman... he had actually cared for her when he left...

But he let blind ambition take the best of him... but now he was a bit smarter... thinking things out more clearly and creating plans to shift things to his benefit, even the case about his brother, giving him a calmer aura during battle, no longer just pure blinded hate.

Although he channeled this anger into power, he thought clearly in battle... just like how Sakura used to...

He let his eyes linger over her closing lids as he cocked his head to the side, letting his hair fall in his face. He had come back to apologize...

Maybe start on rebuilding his clan, while planning on how to kill his brother in the most brutal way possible, but still maybe living somewhat of a life on the side.

But back when he was leaving, he had never dreamt that a girl who claimed such love for him could suddenly grow such a sickening hate. It was almost as if his mere existence made her recoil and infuriate her.

But here she was, the woman who hated him so much, reclining against his leg, and humming to herself.

Sasuke's mind raced and again came of a way to benefit him. He could get answers out of her while she was out of it... after all, he was in no mood for her to hit him again.

"Sakura." his cool voice called her, and made her dazed dull eyes look into his.

"Sasuke?" she answered waiting for his question or sentence. He could tell she wasn't out of it enough that she wasn't trying to mask this state with anger, but the medicine was taking everything away, no hate to hide behind, no anger to throw at him.

"Sakura, do you really hate me?" his voice lulled as he looked at her, through half lidded smoldering eyes.

Sakura gulped. So she really hadn't gotten over him? Or was it that he was still just a little too handsome?

She looked up at him, her eyes hardening with effort, pure effort. "Is that really any of your business?" she asked, her words more slurred then she meant for it to be.

Sasuke grinned and moved some hair out of his face. "Well, since it's about me I believe that I have a right to know." he mused, watching a small flicker of anger rise in her eyes.

She sat up and stumbled raising herself to her feet clumsily. Apparently he had snapped her out of her happy state.

She wobbled this way and that and reclaimed her balance, walking over to the large window in the corner of the room.

"Not really." she whispered, as she walked by him.

Sasuke's ears perked and he looked at her calmly, he learned how to control his emotions around her... wrong thing said or displayed and you'd be hurt any other way.

He cocked his head to the side again, watching as she perched herself on the windowsill, bracing herself against the glass and laying her cheek against the cool of the glass.

She opened her eyes to meet his harshly and saw the slightest hint of confusion.

She pouted, poking out her lower lip just the slightest bit. "What?" the word was once again slurred.

Sasuke stood, crossing his muscular arms across his chest. "Then why do you act like that? All tough and all mad?" he asked, his own anger raising. If she didn't hate him what was all the hate, all the anger in her eyes?

Sakura looked at him confused, before realization sat in and a calm look came to her face.

"Too much pain... I try not to fall in love again, I try not to recover friendship, so I want to keep you away. Far away... so I chose to hate you... and I got so much stronger." she emphasized by balling a bleeding fist, not even wincing as more blood poured.

Sasuke looked at her, raising a perfectly sculpted brow, understanding setting in.

Betrayal turned her bitter... she chose to hate instead of love, she chose to become strong to defeat all things that hurt... much like he had when his brother had left...

Sakura looked back out the window her eyelids slowly drifting downwards, sleep apparent on her face, as she slowly began to rock, but refused to remove her face from the cool glass.

"What would you do? If your heart was literally ripped from you? Smile and pretend it's okay?" she whispered, looking at him.

"I chose the less painful way... pick up the pieces of my shattered life and make something of myself... I wanted to be strong so pain wouldn't hurt me." she said, her eyes closing further.

"And then.. You came back... once I had made that possible...now I'm just trying to watch myself so I can't get hurt..." she whispered, slipping, she slid from the windowsill and was going to land on her face, but Sasuke's strong, warm arms wrapped around her and kept her from falling.

Sasuke merely looked at her, resolve hardening in his eyes. "You don't have to worry." was all he could say before her eyes slid shut, and her breathing became even.

Sasuke sighed, picking her up effortlessly, and walking around the house to find her room.

He walked smoothly down the hallway, the walls were blank, a dull cream color, no pictures no nothing...

He saw an open door and peeked inside seeing a light blue tiled bathroom and kept walking, two rooms came into view, one was shut the wooden door locked with three different locks, and a few slashes decorating it's frame, but the door to the left was wide open, a dull blue color coming into view as he slowly stepped inside.

A small white futon lay in the middle of a dark wooden floor, clothes caked in blood sat in the right corner of the room, by the window that lay on the right wall. Her closet was open, ANBU uniforms were mostly all that hung in the darkness of her closet, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught the sight hint of red... her old uniform from team seven.

He gently laid Sakura down on her mattress and walked around her room...

The walls were blank the floor was clear, except for the huge pile of bloodied bandages thrown all throughout the floor, and a small little first aid by her futon.

He scowled at all of the bandages, and how her room distinctly smelt of blood...

He looked back to Sakura's sleeping face and saw how she had not moved one inch, her breathing barely noticeable. But the soft sigh of her breath letting him know she was sound asleep. He shrugged it off and continued to look around her room, since the room was spotless, he looked in her closet, one outfit from team seven. It was torn, bloody, and seemed so out of place. He looked to the floor, two pairs of ninja shoes, and... a picture?

He slowly knelt down and brought up a picture of a smirking twelve year old him, by a smiling twelve year old Sakura, and a grinning blonde fox. All linking arms, and smiling happily.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but a feeling twinged in his guarded heart... a longing? Maybe for a past he left far far behind... maybe for something he used to have... he didn't know...

But he wasn't about to roll over and let his old life become a memory. Whether it hurt him, or Sakura, he was determined to get back his life...

And he would start by crushing his competition...

Neji Hyuuga.

**AN: Okie dokie!! I remember in a review someone asking for the hardcore, asshole Sasuke! So he's back in action!! I wanted him to be thrown off by the many changes and now he's adjusted and is going to remain his assholey self that we all know and love. Sowwy it took so long to get up, I'll try getting the next chapter up even sooner. REVIEW okay!?  
MuzaiUsui**


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